"You went to see Sam last night!" Josh repeated for what CJ thought might be the fifth time, but as each time grew progressively louder, she had lost count. Thankfully, Margaret had closed the door to outer office when he crossed the decibel level from loud to yelling. "You went to see Sam, and you didn't tell me!"

"I just did," Toby pointed out.

Josh put his hands on his hips, and CJ was forcefully reminded of Sam doing that on so many occasions. Even the frenetic pacing across Leo's office was same.

"I meant beforehand! I've been trying to see him since Friday, and you knew it. I was ordered to give him the weekend, which I did against my better judgment, and when I stopped by his apartment on Monday night, he was off having dinner with CJ."

She winced at the accusatory glare he shot her. "Can I say in my own defense that —"

He ignored her, and to tell the truth, CJ was relieved. "Why the hell didn't you tell me, Toby? I would have ditched that meeting with the D triple C!"

"I wanted to talk to Sam on my own."

"And how did that work? Is everything all straightened out now?"

CJ winced at the sarcasm dripping from the words.

"I don't know, Josh. Have you run into Sam this morning? Had coffee in the Mess with him?" Toby fired back, his voice starting to rise. "No, we didn't straighten things out, but we talked, and I'll take that as a start!"

Josh threw his hands in the air. "I could have helped!"

Toby shook his head. "Not this time. This is between Sam and me."

"But —"

"Josh, that's enough," Leo said as he came through the door.

"Leo, I should be the go-between with Sam," Josh tried, sinking onto the arm of the couch. "Why am I the only one who understands that?"

"Let's just get started," Leo replied, dropping some files on his desk. "I don't suppose you've spent any time discussing what we're going to say on Monday, have you?"

"Is it possible to add something to the vacation calendar?" CJ asked.

"Margaret handles it on our end, so it should be easy enough."

"Then we stay as close to the truth as possible: Sam's gone home for a visit. Leave his return open-ended."

"The Personnel Office will know it's last minute." Josh stopped and thought. "But I can't think of anybody who ever talks to them."

Toby frowned. "It leaves me dealing with a pissed-off Ginger. She told me this morning that she's a better actress than Bonnie, and she wants the chance to —"

"Lie to people?" Leo finished. "You know, we really need to have some kind of intervention when this is over. Bonnie and Ginger are vying for an Oscar, Donna and Carol have turned into Holmes and Watson, and Margaret's ready to take the White House to DEFCON 3."

"Things will go back to normal when Sam comes back," CJ assured him.

"You hope," Leo snorted. He looked at Josh and Toby. "Unless you've got something better, I think we should go with CJ's suggestion."

"It's about the only thing that makes sense," Josh agreed. "Which is saying a lot."

"We'll need a written request," Leo reminded Toby. "Signed by you and on my desk within the hour."

"Cathy will take care of it. She handles all that stuff for Sam."

"Leo, have you had a chance to talk to the President?" Josh asked.

"About bringing Sam in?"

"What about Sam?" the President inquired from the doorway. All of them stood up and waited until he sat down before reseating themselves.

Toby shifted in his chair. "I stopped by his apartment last night and spoke to him, sir."

"Did you make any headway?"

Toby rubbed his forehead. "We had an... exchange of words, nothing more."

The President nodded. "I suppose that's what we should have expected."

Leo leaned against his desk. "Sir, I really think you should reconsider the idea of asking Sam to come in. Toby says he's still pretty angry. I don't think —"

"That meeting with the leader of the free world will be beneficial?" the President finished with a hard look for Toby. "Until last Friday, I always thought I had a good relationship with Sam. I'll capitalize on that. CJ did, and it worked, didn't it?"

"Sir, with all due respect, it was Sam's idea we have dinner," CJ reminded him. "I didn't plan anything."

The President turned to her. "So he considers you a friend?"

"Yes, sir."

"And how does he view the rest of us?" When she hesitated, he nodded. "I see."

CJ turned to Leo for help.

"Sir, we're simply suggesting that —"

"I get it, Leo. Sam sees me as the enemy."

"Not just you, sir," Josh told him. "Pretty much all of us, I think."

"But you're still trying to talk to him, aren't you?"

Josh sighed, seeing the trap and knowing he could do nothing to avoid it. "Yes, sir."

The President looked around the room. "So it's fine for Josh to persist, but I should stay out of it."

"I, for one, am not wholly in favor of Josh persisting," Toby muttered.

"Over these past months, I've treated Sam's talent and his passion without regard, as though they were mine by right. But Sam, ever constant and true —" He smiled sadly. "— Never stopped offering me those gifts. I couldn't spare a minute to speak with him, but I didn't hesitate to avail myself of his words."

"He served at the pleasure of the President," Leo reminded him.

"He serves at my pleasure, but I still owe him my thanks."

"Sir, Sam knows —" Josh began.

"No, he doesn't know. Last Friday, you said Sam doesn't quit. I've thought long and hard about that, and you know what I realized? I, for one, haven't given him any reason to stay. And now, when I want to let him know how much I value him, you're all telling me I shouldn't. That I should stay away from this, from Sam. In a few hours, I'm going to give the last speech he may ever write for me, and I haven't thanked him for it, or for all the others he poured his heart and soul into." The President rose to his feet. "Sam must think I'm one ungrateful son of a bitch — and he's not far wrong." Striding to the door, he paused, his head down. When he turned to them, his eyes were glacial. "I'll give your recommendation all the consideration it deserves."

"Thank you, Mr. President," they replied in a disjointed chorus, their voices resigned murmurs.

The room was silent until the door closed behind him.

"Well, that could have gone better," Toby muttered.

CJ looked around the room. "Will he call Sam?"

Josh shook his head. "He's not going to call." He turned to Leo. "Is he?"

Leo dropped into his chair. "I don't know."

"How can you not know?" Josh demanded. "You've known him for like thirty years, right?"

"And believe it or not, I still can't read his mind."

"Then what's your best guess?"

"Josh, he's gonna do what he's gonna do." Leo picked up phone messages from the center of his desk.

"But, Leo —"

Leo looked at him over the rim of his glasses. "We have a country to run, so unless there's something else, let's get back to it. Toby, I need you for a minute."

Grabbing her pad, CJ was on her feet and out of the office before Josh started to move. Leo was right. The President would do what he wanted, regardless of their advice and counsel. In the meantime, she would cram an hour's worth of prep time into the half hour that remained before her next briefing.

"Carol, do you have..."